I commend the unusual delicacy with which you responded to Marc's question. You are clearly caught between a rock and a hard place, or between Scylla and Charybdis, whichever is more appropriate.

However, another way of looking at the matter is to think of yourself as the Angel Gabriel (I know this might be difficult if you are a Buddhist: I was once compared to the Angel Gabriel myself, and in an aikido context: clearly, God was shortsighted on the day of the comparison) , sent from heaven (currently in Yamagata) to announce good tidings to the waiting multitudes, searching for the one key (or are there 13?) that will unlock the secrets governing access to "the goods" or "the gods"--this could be your finest hour.

I think Allen's point was that the tandokudosa will reveal nothing and do little...without the keys to understanding them. Then...magically, they make an incredible amount of sense. Otherwise, as is the case with many things seen in budo, we see good men wasting a whole lot of time doing so much that yielded so little. So why would he contribute to just another pile of...well..what he said. It would appear that Shirata himself did not reveal them to just anybody.

This is a compelling body of work, by someone I had always admired. It was sheer luck that Allen and I even met and formed a friendship. We had to get to know and trust each other for a dialogue to ensue. I understood Allen's hesitation to show them to me, and I hesitated to show what was in them and what they were for to the two Shirata dojo. Out of respect for Shirata, we don't want to see his work turned into yet more crap in the hands of far to casual budo people,
Cheers
Dan